Mediterranean mandarin tree named &#39;HADASS&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct mandarin of  Citrus deliciosa  Ten. named ‘HADASS’, particularly characterized by high internal quality and late ripening.

BOTANICAL NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Citrus deliciosa Ten (ex C. reticulata Blanco).

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘HADASS’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of amandarin tree, botanically known as Citrus deliciosa Ten. of theRutaceae family, and hereinafter referred to by the variety denomination‘HADASS’.

The new Citrus deliciosa Ten. variety is a product of a planned breedingprogram conducted by the inventors, Avraham Shaked, Michael Hamou andDavid Hesdai, at the Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel. The objective ofthe breeding program was to develop a new late ripening, Citrusdeliciosa Ten. variety with high internal quality.

The new Citrus deliciosa Ten. variety originated from a selection out ofa seedling population, resulting from open pollination of the Citrusdeliciosa Ten. designated ‘ELLENDALE’ (unpatented), made by theinventors in 1971 in the Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel. The newCitrus deliciosa Ten. ‘HADASS’ was observed and selected by theinventors within this seedling population in a controlled environment in1975 in the Volcani Center.

Asexual propagation of the new Citrus deliciosa Ten. variety by graftingonto ‘Troyer’ citrange—Citrus sinensis (L.) Osb.×Poncirus trifoliata L.(unpatented) was first performed in May 1975 in the Volcani Center, andhas demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as hereindisclosed for the new variety is firmly fixed and retained throughsuccessive generations of asexual propagation. The new varietypropagates true-to-type.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe characteristics of ‘HADASS’ which, in combination, distinguish thismandarin tree as a new, unique and distinct variety:

1. High internal quality;

2. Late ripening; and

3. Slightly flattened fruit shape;

In comparison to the parental variety, ‘ELLENDALE’ (unpatented),‘HADASS’ differs primarily in the traits listed in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Comparison with parent variety. Female Parent New Variety‘ELLENDALE’ Trait ‘HADASS’ (unpatented) Time of fruit very late mid tolate ripening Fruit color of yellow orange orange-red rind seedpolyembryonic monoembryonicOf the many commercial varieties known to the present inventors, themost similar to the new Citrus deliciosa Ten. ‘HADASS’ is Citrusdeliciosa Ten. ‘MURCOTT’ (unpatented), which differs from the newmandarin ‘HADASS’ in the characteristics described in Table 2:

TABLE 2 Comparison with a well known commercial variety. ComparisonVariety New Variety ‘MURCOTT’ Characteristic ‘HADASS’ (unpatented) Timeof fruit Very late late ripening Fruit size large medium Number of seedsnone or very few many

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Citrus deliciosa Ten. variety ‘HADASS’ showing the colors as true asis reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. Colorsin the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited inthe detailed morphological description, which accurately describe thecolor of ‘HADASS’.

FIG. 1—Shows a flowering tree of ‘HADASS’.

FIG. 2—Shows a fruit-bearing tree of ‘HADASS’.

FIG. 3—Shows a typical leaf of ‘HADASS’.

FIG. 4—Shows typical mature fruit of ‘HADASS’.

FIG. 5—Shows typical mature fruit of ‘HADASS’ in cross section.

FIG. 6—Shows typical buds of ‘HADASS’.

FIG. 7—Shows typical flowers of ‘HADASS’.

DETAILED MORPHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Citrus deliciosa Ten. ‘HADASS’ has not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new variety mayvary with variations in environment such as temperature, lightintensity, day length, soil or pruning without any change in thegenotype of the mandarin plant.

The aforementioned photographs, together with the followingobservations, measurements and values describe trees of ‘HADASS’ asgrown in the orchard at the Volcani Center, under conditions whichclosely approximate those generally used in commercial practice.“Pardes”, the Hebrew word for citrus orchard, is derived from thePersian “pairidaēza” which means ‘surrounded by a wall’. From the sameword the word “paradise” was deducted. The described trees were graftedon ‘Troyer’ citrange—Citrus sinensis (L.) Osb.×Poncirus trifoliata L.(unpatented) and planted at a distance of 1.5×5 m in sandy red loam soilat an elevation of about 30 meters above sea level with irrigation of100 m³ per hectare during summer, and addition of 1 liter of fertilizer(N:P:K7:3:7+micro-elements (trace elements) per 1 m³ of water. Averageannual rainfall is about 550 mm, with an average 350 mm of rainfall inwinter (December to February). Mean diurnal minimum temperature inJanuary is 7.2° C., and mean diurnal maximum temperature in July is30.8° C.

Unless otherwise stated, the detailed morphological description includesobservations, measurements and values taken from 20111 to 2012 and basedon four-year-old ‘HADASS’ trees grown in the orchard at the VolcaniCenter. Quantified measurements are expressed as an average or a rangeof measurements taken from a number of plants of ‘HADASS’. Themeasurements of any individual plant, or any group of plants, of the newvariety may vary from the stated average or range.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart (R.H.S.), (1986), except where general colors of ordinarysignificance are used. Color values were taken under daylight conditionsin full sunlight in the Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel.

All of the plants of ‘HADASS’, insofar as they have been observed, havebeen consistent in all the characteristics described below.

-   Classification:    -   -   Botanical.—Citrus deliciosa Ten.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female or seed parent.—Citrus deliciosa Ten. ‘ELLENDALE’            (unpatented).-   Propagation: Grafting onto ‘Troyer’ citrange — Citrus sinensis (L.)    Osb.×Poncirus trifoliata L. (unpatented).-   Growing conditions:    -   -   Light intensities.—Full sunlight.

January February March April May June Mean 17.8 18.1 20.1 24.5 27 29.2minimum air temper- ature (° C.) Mean 7.2 7.1 8.8 11.5 14.6 17.9 minimumair temper- ature (° C.) Mean 140.5 96.9 66.1 17.5 2.2 — rainfall (mm)Sep- No- De- July August tember October vember cember Mean 30.8 31.230.4 28.3 24.1 19.7 minimum air temper- ature (° C.) Mean 20.6 21.2 19.416 11.8 8.6 minimum air temper- ature (° C.) Mean — — 0.4 20.4 76.2130.3 rainfall (mm)

-   -   -   Fertilization.—A balanced fertilizer with level of            7:3:7(N:P:K)+micro-elements.        -   Growth regulators.—None used.        -   Pruning.—Manual pruning is applied. The size and overall            shape of mandarin trees essentially depend on pruning and            spacing. ‘HADASS’ was pruned, creating a tree which is            transverse elliptic in shape with 2 or 3 main branches. When            the trees are freely grown, the size and the shape assumed            by the trees are typical of Citrus deliciosa Ten.

TABLE OF CHARACTERISTICS   TREE: Age: Observed trees were four yearsold. Fruit: Type: Mandarin. Tree: Vigor: strong. Height: about 2 m.Diameter of crown: about 2 m. Overall shape: transverse elliptic. Numberof main branches: 2 or 3. Diameter of trunk: about 10 cm. Color of bark:very dark gray closest to RHS 201 A. Surface of bark: nearly smooth.Lenticells: not visible. Main branches: Length: about 1.5 m. Thickness:about 3 cm. Lenticells: not visible. Young leaf: Anthocyanin coloration:absent. Upper side green color: medium to dark green RHS 146 AB. Lowerside green color: 146 C. Surface: smooth. Glossiness: absent.Pubescence: absent. Fully developed Leaf blade : Length: 70-90 mm.Width: 40-55 mm. Length/width ratio: longer than broad. Shape in crosssection: slightly concave. Twisting: absent. Blistering: medium. Upperside green color: very dark green RHS 147 A. Lower side green color:medium grayish green RHS 147 C. Pubescence on upper side: absent.Pubescence on lower side: absent. Firmness: medium. Undulation ofmargin: medium. Incision of margin: crenate. Depth of incisions ofmargin: shallow. Shape of apex: obtuse. Shape of base: obtuse.Glossiness: weak. Petiole: Length: 7-15 mm. Width of wing: ca. 2 mm.Width of wing relative to blade: very narrow. Shape in cross section:slightly concave. Upper side green color: medium green RHS 146 B. Lowerside green color: medium green RHS 146 B. Surface: glabrous Petiolewing: Upper side green color: very dark green RHS 147 A. Lower sidegreen color: medium grayish green RHS 147 C. Surface: smooth. Flowerbud: Anthocyanin coloration: absent. Shape: cylindrical. Color: mediumgreenish white RHS 157 A. Length: 5-10 mm. Diameter: 4-6 mm. Vegetativebud: Anthocyanin coloration: absent. Shape: ellipsoid. Color: mediumgreen RHS 147 B. Length: about 1 mm. Diameter: less than 1 mm. Flower:No. of petals: 5. Shape: stellate. Diameter of corolla: 17-23 mm. Scent:typical for citrus. Pedicel: Length: 6-10 mm. Shape in cross section:rounded. Color: light to medium green RHS 146 D. Thickness: about 1 mm.Calyx: Diameter: 4-5 mm. Color: light green RHS 145 C. Shape: flattenedcrown. Shape of apex of lobe: acute. Length of lobe: 2-3 mm. Max. widthof lobe: ca. 1 mm. Petal: Shape: elongated. Length: 9-12 mm. Width: 3-5mm. Color of upper side: white RHS 155 B. Color of lower side: white RHS155 B. Stamina: Number: about 20. Anther: Length: less than 1 mm. Color:very dark yellow RHS 9 A. Shape: elongated. Fillament: Length: 6-7 mm.Thickness: less than 1 mm. Color: white RHS 155 B. Pollen: Color:yellow. Viability: present. Style: Length: 5-6 mm. Diameter: 1-2 mm.Color: light green RHS 145 C. Stigma Shape: rounded. Color: very darkyellow RHS 9 A. Fruit: Weight: about 130 g. Length: 50-60 mm. Diameter:60-70 mm. Ratio length/diameter: shorter than broad. Position of maximumdiameter: in the middle. Shape in cross section: rounded. Shape at stalkend: flattened. Depression at stalk end: absent. Neck: absent.Depression at stalk attachment: slight. Radial grooves at stalk end:few. Length of radial grooves relative to diameter: about half ofdiameter. Protrusion of collar: not relevant. Floral disc below calyx:absent. Abscission layer between calyx and fruit: absent. Shape atdistal end: flattened. Depression at distal end: present. Depth ofdepression at distal end: very shallow. Diameter of depression relativeto fruit: very small. Nipple: absent. Areola: present. Conspicuousnessof areola: weak. Type of areola: smooth. Presence of areola: entire.Diameter of areola: 10-20 mm. Stylar scar: present. Diameter of stylarscar: 2-3 mm. Persistence of style: absent. Navel opening: sometimespresent. Diameter of navel opening: 2-3 mm. Protrusion of navel: absent.Radial grooves at distal end: absent. Main color of surface: very darkorange RHS 24 A. Pubescence of surface: absent. Glossiness: weak tomedium. Roughness of surface: slightly rough. Evenness of size of oilglands: uneven small and large ones. Size of larger oil glands: lessthan 1 mm. Conspicuousness of larger oil glands: medium. Pebbles on oilglands: sparse. Color of oil glands: dark to very dark orange RHS 24 B.Firmness: firm. Thickness of rind: 1-2 mm. Adherence of rind to flesh:strong. Strength of rind: weak. Oiliness of rind: little. Oil glands oninner side: inconspicuous. Color of albedo: light yellow orange RHS 23D. Density of albedo: dense. Adherence of albedo to flesh: weak. Numberof fibers in albedo: few. Differently colored spots in flesh: absent.Bicolored segments: absent. Main color of flesh: very dark orange RHS 25A. Filling of core: half filled. Diameter of core: 10-14 mm.Non-developed segments: absent. Number of developed segments: about 11.Open segments: absent. Adherence of segments: medium. Strength ofsegment wall: medium. Length of juice vesicle: 5-11 mm. Thickness ofjuice vesicle: 2-3 mm. Conspicuousness of vesicle wall: medium.Adherence of juice vesicles: weak. Presence of navel viewed internally:absent. Strength of fiber: weak. Number of seeds: none or very few whengrown in isolation. Poly-embryonic seed: not relevant. Fruit ripening:end of April. Parthenocarpy: present. Time of flowering: March.

TABLE 3 showing the development of fruit maturity. FRUIT TSS/ACIDITYDATE WEIGHT TSS ACIDITY RATIO  2 Mar. 2011 641.67 13.13 1.82  7.30 17Mar. 2011 755.00 12.87 1.61  7.99 11 Apr. 2011 721.67 13.00 1.14 11.48

-   -   -   Maturity.—Ripe for commercial harvesting; April in Israel.

-   Disease resistance: No atypical resistance has been noted.

-   Pest resistance: No atypical resistance has been noted.

-   Disease susceptibility: None observed

-   Pest susceptibility: None observed

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct mandarin variety of Citrusdeliciosa Ten. named ‘HADASS’, as illustrated and described herein.